There will be time
by defenderofthetardis
Summary: A collection of One Shots from the life of Emma Swan and Killian Jones. (T because the language is going to be along the swear-y line sometimes and maybe M at some point...)
1. Chapter 1

_This is the start of a new thing I'm starting. I am going to post one shots here every now and then. Each one shot will be a chapter and they may or may not be connected. This one's a one time thing and won't continue ;)_

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><p><em>I got this message on Tumblr from a lovely anon: <em>

_"Could you write a fic were emma discovers that she's pregnant and she's excited but afraid because the relationship between she and killian has just began and she doesn't know what he's gonna think. And he obviously is super happy and basically fluff. Please (Sorry if my English is terrible)"_

_I would like to believe that both Emma and Hook are both more carful but I still wrote it and it's not the best I've ever written but I'm writing which is good. _

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><p>It's a shock; plain and simple. She's been worried for the last week, hoping that it was just nature playing a trick on her, only she's never late, not this much at least. This cannot possibly be happening. She and Hook have only been (officially) dating for a little over 6 months now and it's been the happiest 6 months of her life. When she'd first decided to actually ask him out on a real date she was open to the idea of them, knowing how much he meant to her and vice versa but she had never in her wildest dreams believed anyone if they had told her that she would fall head over heels for the pirate.<p>

The last 6 months had gone by so fast, what with the Snow Queen and Elsa rivalling it out, her moving into her own apartment with Henry, and her spending almost every minute of every day with Killian. It had almost become a town joke to ask if they'd lost a leg when they were not in each other's company.  
>The relationship had not been easy, to say the least. When she first realised how much she'd fallen for him it had scared her. She knew him so well she knew that he was never going to give up on them, or that he was never going to leave her but she also knew he was a pirate and would always be one. There had been times where she feared he would lose himself in darkness again, when a certain Storybrooke resident had tried to lure him to the side of the villains once again and only her love had managed to keep him true. It had been a struggle not just for their relationship but also for each of them as a person. But they had grown on the task and they had made it work. The relief after he'd admitted his fears to her, of not being enough for her, of never being good enough to deserve her, after her telling him time and time again that she loved him the way he was – yes, she'd actually confessed her love for him before he declared his for her (in the exact words) – and that she was in this, they had moved on to a different stage in their relationship. They'd always been very physical with each other – she'd wanted to devour him the night of their first date and the desire had never really faltered after that – and he had always been very open about his feelings for her but after she'd finally opened up to him about hers, they never went back.<br>Quite often now they had conversations about their future, something Emma never dared to go into before and in the past two months the question of him moving into her apartment had come up more than once. He was still staying at Granny's officially but he spent more time at her place than there and if she had learnt one thing from her parents it was what true love was supposed to be like. As much as it frightened her, she knew that Killian was it for her so why bother waiting? Only, that was a question when it came to moving in together; her current problem was much more distressful than that.

The bathtub curb didn't feel particularly comfortable and reassuring but she was too shocked to move.  
>Her life in Storybrooke came with lots of adventures and her body responded to it in different ways so being late by a few days had never given her cause for pause. She hadn't bothered to think more of it when it happened again. Then, after she was a week late she'd started to worry a little bit, but would not consider that maybe, just maybe, it meant that even being careful was not always enough. Then came the moment where she had to admit to herself that that was the only possible thing and it led her to sitting on her bathtub, a stick in her hand and a very telling, stupid and utterly unwelcome plus showing on it.<br>"Fuck…," she sighed, running her finger through her hair, making a mess out of it.  
>Seriously, how could this have happened? The moment she and Hook had become intimate she'd decided to go on birth-control because there was no way she was going to have another baby right now and she'd also introduced Hook to the modern invention of condoms – which had been a rather hilarious moment, she still remembered the priceless look on his face when she told him what those weird rubbery things were for – so this was just…impossible. (Statistically it was possible but how could <em>she<em> be that tiny little percentage to whom this happened? Was fate playing a trick on her?)

She tried to get up but her legs were shaking. What was she going to do? She felt like she was 18 again, sitting in a cell with a positive pregnancy test in her hand, knowing she could never ever be a mother but also knowing that she would never deny this child life.  
>This time she was already a mother though, which led her thoughts to someone else. Henry.<br>What was he going to say? Her son was supportive of her relationship with Hook because he saw how happy it made her and he only wanted her to be happy but she knew that sometimes he was still a bit sceptic. He liked Killian, the two of them got on really well and had taken up the habit of going on boat trips together but there was still something holding Henry back from completely accepting the pirate.  
>Her head was spinning and she had to steady herself on the bathtub. The test she threw in the bin, not wanting to look at it again (it was the third test she'd taken, they could not all have been wrong). She tried to sort her restless mind, focusing on the bath tiles, counting them from left to right realising that they needed to be cleaned again.<br>Her thoughts started to wander while she counted and she suddenly realised that actually, her thoughts weren't that bad. Yes, this was unexpected. Yes, this was not planned at all. But no, she wasn't actually scared. Scared had passed her long ago, when she had decided that her and Hook made total sense.  
>They had talked about family before, not in earnest but still. He'd asked her if she thought Henry would be her only child and she had jokingly replied that she didn't know, what did he think of the matter and Hook had smiled at her, saying "I think our offspring would be a gift to the world and us. Devilishly handsome, very witty, strong headed and completely brilliant." He'd said it with that cocky smile of his that never failed to make her knees weak but she knew he had meant what he said, he wasn't averse to the idea. And why not? They had a stable relationship (stable enough), they had already been talking about moving in and she could actually really imagine raising a kid with her dashing pirate.<p>

"Emma?" she heard the voice of said pirate from the entrance hall. She had to take a deep breath before she shouted out a reply and finally stepped out of the bathroom, her legs still a little shaky.

"I'm here, Hook." Her voice sounded steady enough but Hook was very attuned to her so as soon as he stepped around the corner and saw her, there was a question written all over his face.

"How was your trip?" she asked him before he could say anything.

"Great. Henry's finally starting to get the hang of sailing and navigating. Now that he remembers all the fairy tales again, he's much more interested."

Emma smiled. Yes, her son had a knack for everything that was not quite from this world and the way Killian taught him was definitely not quite what you'd expect from sailing.

"Did you drop him off at Regina's?"

The pirate nodded. "Yes, he wanted to see her and I thought we could use the time for ourselves," he smirked, stepping closer to her and pulling her in by her hands. His arms reached around her and she had to squint up to look at him. There was the usual mischievous grin on his face that she had grown to love and that told her exactly where his mind was going and his eyes were almost worse, one eyebrow raised at her and the blue glimmering like the stars of the night sky. She couldn't help but break out into a wide smile herself, leaning in to kiss him.

His lips tasted of salt and sea and warmth and mostly just him and she sighed happily. "Using the time sounds perfect because I want to talk to you…" she hummed when they broke apart, both of them slightly breathless. Kissing him still felt like a new adventure every single time.  
>"Something important?"<p>

"Maybe…" she replied, dragging him to the living room and plonking down on the sofa. Hook followed suit and she cuddled into him.  
>"Do you think he's lonely?"<p>

"Hm?" Killian asked, not following her train of thought.

"Henry. Do you think he's lonely?" She peeked up at him. There was a curious look on his face. He knew something was up but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Why do you ask?"

"Just so…"

"Emma, I know something is up, just tell me," the pirate encouraged her, gently squeezing her shoulder with his good hand.

"I…" she started but stopped again. She wasn't sure how to go about this. "Do you think fate exists?"

"What does that have to do with Henry?"

"Do you?"

"Yes. I think it was fate that you came to the Enchanted Forest and that we met there. We're meant for each other. But you already know that I believe that, darling."

She nodded. "Do you think sometimes fate plays tricks on you?"

"Would it be fate otherwise?" Killian asked back.

Emma shook her head. "I guess not," she sighed. She straightened up, taking in a cross-legged position and looked at her boyfriend. "So, if I told you that fate was playing a trick on us, what would you say?"

"Love, you're asking me a lot of questions with no apparent connection today. Just tell me what's wrong," Killian encouraged her, a soft smile tugging at his lips.

Unsure, she took his good hand into her two, staring at it for a little while, playing with his fingers. Then, very slowly, she guided it to her belly, placing it on top of it with a deep breath.  
>He wasn't entirely sure what she was doing but when she finally looked up, her eyes full of worry and questions written all over her face, realisation dawned on him. The surprise was evidently written on his face, as his eyes shifted to her belly and back to her face.<br>There was just as much uncertainty written on his face as there was on hers. He was waiting for her to say something but all she could manage was a little nod and that was all it needed for him to break out into the biggest smile she had ever seen.

"You're sure?" he inquired.

"I'm sure." Her reply was breathy, scared but she needn't be. There was no way his smile could've grown but it did. He pulled her in, throwing both arms around her, which resulted in a very awkward sitting position, but relief washed over her as he held her tight.  
>All the worry from the last few weeks, the worry from just a moment ago when she'd gotten confirmation, it all went away in a single heartbeat.<br>He was happy, elated actually, releasing her only so he could look at her. "You're really expecting our baby?"

A nervous laugh escaped her. "Yes Killian, I really am expecting our baby."

"How do you feel about it?"

"Better, now that I know you're okay with it," she confessed.

That's when he pulled her into his lap, bringing his arms around her to hold her close. Emma leaned into him, breathing in his familiar scent. It brought her even more comfort and she looked up at him.

Killian's eyes were very sincere. "Emma love, I am very much okay with it if you are. My love for you only grows each day…"

"You don't think it's too soon? You don't think we're not ready?"

"Darling, I have known that you're my only love for a very long time now and we have gone though so many things together already, a baby will only be a new adventure. I promise you, we're ready. We have time to prepare ourselves and I will not leave your side."

Emma smiled. Her pirate could be so cheesy sometimes but this was exactly what she needed to hear. She realised that the main worry she'd had was that he might not want this, that this would push him away from her, show him that she wasn't the one for him but it was the opposite. He promised not to go anywhere and she believed him with all her heart. She reached up to touch his face, caressing his cheek.

"I love you…" she hummed before pulling his face towards her and softly kissing him.


	2. No more secrets

**Title:** No more secrets  
><strong>Word count:<strong> 5000+  
><strong>Rating:<strong> K

Deals with Gold are never a good idea, especially when the people concerned try to keep them secrete from their loved ones.

_**A/N**: I am writing which is good. I am behind on NaNo though and this is not quite the way I wanted it but I wanted to keep it relatively short…and I'm never satisfied with my writing anyway so please, if you liked it (or didn't) do let me know in some form…like…review or something? ;)_

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><p>Sometimes it felt like everything was too perfect, too smooth. Yes, there was the problem with the Snow Queen who they still hadn't found out more about except for what was on that tape. Yes, there was Regina who was still rather uncooperative, if not in Evil Queen mode. And yes, there was her constant fear that kept nagging her. Truth was, no matter how much she dared to open up to Hook, no matter how much she let him in, there was always this tiny voice in her head telling her to be careful, that no matter what he said he might still not always be there for her. She trusted him, she had said so and meant it but by the heavens she was still a long way off from lowering those walls around her heart completely (She was still trying to deny how fast she was falling). In spite of this though, things were just too smooth. She just <em>knew<em> that there was bound to be something coming up to ruin her piece of happiness and oh, how she wished she was wrong.

It was getting cold outside much earlier this year but with an Ice Queen and a Snow Queen out there it was hardly surprising. Emma was still at the sheriff's station when she got a call from outside of town. It should've been her night off with Hook but since David hadn't arrived yet, she decided to take it and check it out. She quickly grabbed the keys to her car, took her slightly warmer jacket from the rack and wrapped herself in a warm scarf before leaving the station. The cold that met her outside made her stop short and take a deep breath that froze the hairs in her nose and made her shiver. This was not going to be a very pleasant winter at all.

Determined despite the cold she stomped to her car, pulling her phone out on the way to call her pirate. He answered at the third ring and she could hear him mumble something indistinguishable (probably moaning about the workings of cell phones he still hadn't quite figured out yet) before saying "You've reached your dashing pirate."

She laughed and rolled her eyes. "Hook, it's me. I just got a call at the station; I'll have to cancel our evening in. I'm sorry but I have to go and check it out," she hastily said into her phone while trying to open her car door, almost dropping the keys.

"Where shall I meet up with you?" he replied, his accent as thick as ever.

"Don't worry about it. It's enough if one of us freezes out here," she simply told him.

"Emma, I'm not letting you stalk out the Snow Queen on your own in this cold."

She had to smile. He hadn't dared to leave her out of sight ever since she almost froze to death in Elsa's ice wall. "I'll be fine, Killian. I promise!" she assured him. "It doesn't even have anything to do with the Snow Queen."

"I'm sure you will be fine, love, but I'm still coming even if the Snow Queen isn't involved. Just tell me where to meet you."

She let out a slight grumble but finally told him where to meet her. Maybe it was better to have some backup and he would not rest until she let him come with her and anyway, why completely spoil a night, if he was with her at least they were spending time together.

After putting the phone away in her pocket, she started the car and drove the few blocks to Granny's to pick up Hook. She had hardly stopped the car, when he exited the diner, throwing a broad grin at her.

"Should've brought the champagne," he laughed, climbing into the passenger seat of her bug.

"Again with the champagne. We've had a real date since then if you forgot."

He smiled happily at her, leaning across and kissing her gently on the cheek. "I certainly haven't forgotten, darling. But it seems the second one keeps getting delayed."

"I'm sorry," she apologised, looking at him.

"Don't worry about it, Swan," he reassured her, his blue eyes so soft she felt her stomach lurch a little. She started the car then and they drove out of town. Hook was as talkative as ever, asking her about her day, telling her about his own. He'd taken Henry out sailing again, or intended to but it was getting really cold now and the two had decided to rather spend the day inside, drinking hot coco and playing a game of dice. As they got further out of town though, the pirate got quieter, looking outside, watching the road. "Where are we going?" he finally asked, just before Emma could inquire what was wrong.

"Belle called me. She went to see an old friend of hers because she hasn't been able to reach him in a week and when she got to the house it was completely empty. She wants me to check it out."

"Hmm," the pirate replied, staring out the front window.

They drove on in silence for a few more minutes and when they turned the corner to the cottage, Emma didn't notice the intake of breath from her companion. Even though it was dark, he recognised the place only too well from his little trip there a few days ago. Of course that moment was coming to haunt him now, he should have known. He wondered if it was a coincidence that Belle had called…

The cottage was shrouded in darkness; only the outline was visible and Emma had to leave her headlights on to allow some light. She stepped out of her car, Hook following suit and together they walked towards the cottage. Emma knocked against the door and when there was no answer she walked around it once. There was no sign of anybody, not of the missing inhabitant or Belle. Strange.

"Lets see if it's locked," she said in a half-whisper.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? It might be a trap," Hook whispered back from behind her, his hand reaching out to grab the door handle. The closeness made her shiver.

"Hook, the Wicked Witch is gone and I'm sure the Snow Queen doesn't live here. It's not cold enough."

Killian grunted but did try the door, which turned out to be unlocked.

It was just as dark inside as it was outside but something made the hairs on Emma's back stand on end. "Do you feel that?" she asked quietly.

"Feel what?"

"There's magic here. Or was here. I can still feel it."

Carefully she stepped through the rooms, checking the light (which, of course, did not work), looking for signs of life but it wasn't until she reached the kitchen that she was sure something was off.

"I don't know if Belle called or not, but someone is definitely missing here."

"What makes you say that?" asked Hook behind her. He was sceptically watching the rooms, checking for a hidden camera that he knew had to be there. He hadn't told Emma about his deal with the Dark One, not because he didn't trust her but because he didn't want to worry her (and because he didn't want her to see his dark side ever again). He got this. At least he thought he had.

"Killian, are you okay?"

He snapped out of his thoughts, realising that Emma had asked him something.

"What was that, love?" he asked.

"I said, someone's definitely missing because there's unwashed dishes here and they're no older than a few days. Otherwise they'd be mouldy."

"Very observant…" he smiled but failed to be convincing.

"You sure you're okay?" Emma asked again. "You keep staring at that chair over there like it's going to jump out at you."

He looked over again. It was the chair that the Apprentice had sat in when Rumple's strange hat had sucked him in. He shuddered and tried to make it out to be a shiver from the cold.

"Nothing to worry about, love. I think I can just feel something strange here, too and it's bloody freezing. Maybe we should come back in the morning when we can see more than outlines of chairs…"

Emma agreed and so the two made their way back out. As soon as they got into the car, Emma stared the heating, trying to warm up. "What do you say, should we go and make the most out of the rest of the evening?" she inquired as she had no intention of going to the station and brooding about this case all night.

After she had alternately looked at Hook and the road for about 30 seconds, the pirate turned towards her, looking like he'd just come out of a trance.

"Hm?" he replied. "Oh. That sounds really good but I have something I need to do first," he finished after realising what her question had been.

"Killian, are you really sure you're fine? You know you can tell me if something is bothering you, right."

He smiled at that. "Of course, love. I'm fine, really."

She nodded.

When they got to the diner and he stepped out of the car, she asked if she'd see him in the morning but all she got was a short nod and then he was off.

Confused, Emma drove off home, wondering what had gotten into the pirate. It had been a while since she had last seen him like this. Actually, the last time had been with Zelena in town. There was an uneasy twitch in her chest and she was determined to find out what was going on.

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><p>He went around the back so Emma would think he'd gone home. It hurt him to be so curt with her but his mind was otherwise occupied and until his issues were resolved, he could not do what he wanted to do; be there for her, protect her.<p>

His steps were firm and determined as he walked down the empty streets of Storybrooke and when he got to his destination, he peeked through the window. There was still some light shining through from the back, so he quickly made his way into the shop, as quiet as possible. There were no voices so he assumed the Dark One was alone and with a few easy strides he went around to the back where Rumple was sorting some of his things, his back towards Hook. The latter let out a low growl as he took the last few steps towards Gold, turned him around rather violently and pressed him against the wall.

"What game are you playing, crocodile?" Hook hissed, his usually soft blue eyes dark with anger.

Rumple smirked. "It's a bit uncomfortable to reply if you're holding me like this," he croaked, the smirk nevertheless not leaving his face.

Hook let lose a little, but made sure Rumple couldn't move. "Now answer," he insisted.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Rumple smiled innocently.

"Oh, don't even start. You led Emma straight to the old man's cottage, luring her out, pretending to be Belle."

"And why would I do that?"

"What the bloody hell do I know what goes on in that twisted brain of yours," Hook growled, placing the hook right above Rumple's throat.

"I assure you, pirate, I did no such thing."

"Does your wife have any association with the old man?"

Rumple laughed. "Of course not. Do you think I'd risk Belle finding out about our little adventure? Oh wait. I wasn't involved in that, that was you alone. I do wonder what Miss Swan will think when she finds that security tape…" he purred.

"So you _had_ something to do with it. I'm warning you…" he started but was interrupted by Gold's chuckle. "You're warning me? About what? Haven't we established that you can't kill me?"

Hook's anger only grew and it took all his self-control not to try to kill the crocodile again. He thought of Emma and what she would say and it was that thought alone that kept him from doing something stupid. Taking a few short breaths, he tried to relax somewhat.

"What do you want then? There has to be a reason why you would lead Emma to the cottage."

"I might have a little request, yes."

"No. We're through."

Rumple smiled. "Miss Swan hasn't found the tape yet I am sure but it will only be a matter of time."

"When?" Hook asked through gritted teeth.

"Tomorrow evening. Meet me at the docks again."

Hook pressed Gold up against the wall again; holding him for a few more seconds before letting go of him with a frustrated grunt and walked away. Before he exited the shop with angry strides, he heard Gold behind him. "Don't try anything foolish, Hook. Remember that you can't prove a thing."

Fuming and annoyed, Killian slammed the door behind him and welcomed the freezing air outside. He realised that this was what Gold wanted, him to lose control, to find darkness again just so Gold would not be the only one who couldn't overcome it. But this time around he had too much to lose. Emma finally trusted him he couldn't risk losing that. He also couldn't risk her finding out.

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><p>She woke with a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach the next morning and it had only partly to do with Hook's strange behaviour the night before. It was still dark outside when she looked out and when she checked the alarm clock it showed her 6.15am. Slightly frustrated she practically fell out of bed, tapping through her room in search for something to wear.<p>

Half an hour later, with coffee fuelling her veins, she was on her way to the station. She wasn't particularly looking forward to work as they were still going through tons of paper work and hadn't gotten anywhere closer. No record of Anna, no record of Sarah. No record of anything. And if she didn't know any better, she would've said that somewhere along the line Gold must have had his hands mixed up in this because it reeked of his kind of work. Truth be told, she did know better and knew to trust her instincts but what was she going to prove it on? There was no denying that the Dark One had changed and Belle trusted him. Maybe the brunette was too trusting but Emma couldn't say much considering that she trusted a pirate of all the people.

The morning passed by as it always did. There were few interruptions and little progress and by noon she felt ready to eat an entire cow or hit a boxing bag repeatedly. Preferably both. David had his day off, spending some quality time with Mary Margaret and Neal, Elsa was elsewhere (probably looking for Anna in the woods again, Emma really should've told Hook to keep an eye on the Ice Queen), and Hook was…not watching Elsa. Emma had no idea where he was and it bothered her. In the past week he had come to the station early in the morning to keep her company and help with the paper work or he'd taken Henry out sailing but she always knew when they were out. Today she'd heard nothing from him and it not only bothered her that she hadn't, it also bothered her that she had gotten so used to his presence.

Throwing the thoughts aside, she decided to walk over to Granny's to give her legs some exercise after all the sitting around and to get the last bit of autumn before winter hit with its full force. As she rounded the corner she could spot Henry talking to someone and it looked like he was trying to get away. She could see from his body language that he didn't feel comfortable and when he tried to move away, Emma spotted a silver-clad arm reaching out for him, grabbing his arm. Emma immediately recognised the Snow Queen's garment and all the worry for everyone that she carried around with her came flaming up and she could feel the magic in her fingertips tingling and she had no control over it. Afraid for what the Snow Queen might do, Emma ran towards her and Henry as fast as she could, hoping she could reach them before her magic got out of control but the fear inside her overruled her mind and in an instant a jet of pure magic fired at the Snow Queen. Emma screamed at Henry to duck when she realised what she was happening. There was a bang and a ball of fire erupted from behind her son as her magic hit a tree where shortly before the Snow Queen had stood.

Panting and shocked she finally reached Henry, who was holding his arm, his face a mask of pain.

"Oh god, Henry, are you okay?" Emma managed to say between deep breaths.

"I'm fine, mom," her son replied but she could tell he was lying.

"No you're not. Henry, I am so sorry! I thought she was going to hurt you and…" she took his arm to look at it. The sleeve was burned and had seared her son's arm and she knew that did not come from the Snow Queen's icy touch.

She heard footsteps from behind her as people approached but she didn't know what to do except for repeatedly apologising to her son.

"I'm fine, mom, really," he assured her but she shook her head. "This should not have happened, I should be able to control it…"

"You really should," she heard the stern and angry voice of the former major behind her. "Miss Swan, step away from my son."

"Mom, I'm fine, she didn't mean to hurt me," Henry exclaimed but Regina was having none of it. She grabbed Henry's good arm and pulled him towards her, away from Emma, who, for the first time, understood what it must have been like for Regina all those years, when Emma wouldn't let Henry near her for fear that her magic would hurt him and now it was Emma's own magic that had done that and not Regina's. She stepped back, feeling like a trapped animal and then, with a painful look at her son she turned on her heels and ran.

There was only one way to stop this from happening.

"Swan!"

She heard him but didn't turn. "Swan!" he called again. "Emma!"

Emma still didn't react. She could hear Hook's footsteps behind her but he was the last person she wanted to talk at the moment. He would only tell her that everything would be fine but she knew better. She had no control over her magic and sometimes her magic saved the people she loved. Today however, it had hurt her son and she could not let this happen ever again.

Killian had almost reached her. He made a few last steps before reaching out for her, grabbing her arm more roughly than he had intended to and turned her around to face him. She looked hurt, scared. Her eyes were those of a hunted animal even though no one was chasing her. Yet. "Emma," he spoke intently, shaking her lightly to make her focus on him.

"Please Killian, let me go," she whispered.

"I am not going to do that," he replied.

Emma shook her head. "I don't want to hurt you, too!"

"You won't," he assured her.

She shook her head again. "How can you be so sure? I just hurt Henry! My son! What is there to say that it won't happen again?"

"You didn't hurt him on purpose."

"Of course I didn't but it happened. I have no control over my magic and it's destroying my loved ones. Just please. Let me go. I need a few minutes. Please," she begged, tears welling up in her eyes. What was it again that she'd wanted to do before this stupid incident? Have lunch like a normal person? Maybe see what was wrong with Hook? All gone in an instant just because she lost control. The magic had to go.

Slowly Hook nodded, releasing her from his grip. "Promise you won't do anything stupid."

"Like hurting someone else? No, I have no intention to."

He sighed, watching her turn around and walk off. He had a feeling he should go after her but maybe she really just needed a minute.

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><p>"I need your help," she said decidedly as she walked through the doors to Gold's shop.<p>

"Good day to you, too, Miss Swan," Gold smiled, "What can I help you with?"

"The curse Zelena used on Hook to take away my magic. Can you do it?" she asked straight out.

"What, have you grown tired of it again?"

"I hurt Henry because I can't control it. Just answer the damn question, Gold. Do you have a way to take it away from me or not?"

Gold looked at her with a knowing smile, the kind she'd grown to loath and she realised that over the past years the two of them had tolerated each other first because they had to and then because of Neal but now there was no reason to anymore and they eyed each other with the utmost care, like two lions circling each others, waiting for the other to make their move.

"I might just have something for you but you'll have to wait until tonight."

"What, no price?"

"The price is your magic, Miss Swan."

She eyed him sceptically but right now she couldn't think straight. All she cared about was her magic to be taken away from her and nothing else. With a firm nod she turned around. "Until tonight then," she said before she left the shop.

She had only barely closed the door, when she almost bumped into Belle.

"Emma, hi," the brunette smiled and Emma got reminded of the call the night before.

"Belle. I wanted to talk to you!" she said. " Did you call me last night about an abandoned cottage outside of town?"

Belle looked at her with confusion. "No. Why would I do that?"

Emma shrugged her shoulders. "Never mind. Sorry for almost running you over."

"Are you okay?" Belle enquired worriedly. "I heard what happened with Henry."

This made Emma sigh. Of course it was already making the rounds. "I'll get over it," she replied through almost gritted teeth before saying goodbye and walking off.

Two corners further on she bumped into Hook again and she almost turned around.

"You went to see the Dark One." He said it as a statement, not a question.

"So what if I did," she retorted.

"Love, it's never a good idea to go to him for anything, there is always a price to pay."

"The only price to pay will be my magic and I am more than willing to do that." Her voice was determined and Killian knew it was going to b he hard to convince her otherwise but he had to try and he already knew how.

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><p>It was already getting dark when he arrived at the docks. He sat down on the same bench and waited for the Dark One to show himself. It only took a few minutes before a shadow fell over Killian's face and Gold stood before him.<p>

"Ready, Captain?" he asked.

Killian gritted his teeth. "Not yet."

That triggered a raised eyebrow from Gold and he inspected the pirate sceptically.

"Why, do you want to threaten me again?"

Hook shook his head. "I want another deal."

Gold laughed, dismissing the request with a wave of his hands. "We're done making deals, pirate, you know that."

"We're not. I want you to promise me not to take Emma's magic away. I know what you have planned, I've seen what that hat can do and you're not doing it to her."

"Why on earth would I want to do that to her? I'd have half the town chasing after me if dear Emma suddenly disappeared. And I do owe my son, after all, he loved her."

He said the last bit with a knowing smile aimed at Hook, who gritted his teeth.

"Whatever it is you have planned, leave Emma out of it."

"I can't do that, dearie. If she wants her magic removed, I'll remove it with pleasure. Now come, we have work to do."

"No. We're done. You can do your own dirty work from now on, crocodile," Killian spat. "I am nothing like you and I'm not going back to the man I used to be."

"Wrong decision, pirate," Gold said through gritted teeth. "You are just as dark as me and soon everyone will remember who you really are."

Killian was about to reply but Gold disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Hook's hand was balled into a fist and he kneaded his fingers, trying to calm himself down so he wouldn't hit the nearest pole.

* * *

><p>She was still at the station when Gold came in.<p>

"I thought we had an appointment," he said, making her jump.

"Gold. I was just about to get ready."

"Don't bother, Miss Swan. I can't reproduce Zelena's curse, you'll have to live with your magic. For now," he simply said before turning on the spot, leaving Emma perplexed.

She hadn't managed to get much work done all day. She was too worried about Henry and both her parents had shown up to make sure she was all right but she'd blocked them out, told them she was fine and would manage it and she had shoved them out of the station as fast as she could out of fear of hurting them if her emotions rose too high. She had counted on Gold for this and now he was letting her down. There was the anger again, lodged right beneath her breast bone. She could feel it pounding against her ribcage, and she could feel the magic inside her. _Breathe_, she thought as she tried to calm herself. There was a bang to her right as the light bulb of her table lamp exploded and she jumped. _Damn it…_she thought and tried to breathe normally. There was a flicker of the lights and the television. The TV turned itself on, a scene started playing and Emma sat there, watching it wide eyed as her magic started to pop out one light bulb after the other until finally she sat in the dark, only the TV static humming in the room. The anger had subsided and now she only felt empty. She'd felt it. She'd known it wasn't going to last forever. She had only hoped it would last for a little while longer. Her hands were balled into fists as she used the new bricks to build her wall a little stronger.

She didn't hear the sound of the door or the footsteps as she sat there and she didn't hear the first "Are you all right, love?" until he touched her arm and she jumped. "Don't," she said and he could see the hurt in her eyes.

"What happened, Swan?" he asked, his face full of worry.

"You tell me…" she replied, grabbing the remote and rewinding the tape (that she had no clue how it got there). She pressed play and watched Hook's face as he saw himself in a cottage that the two of them had visited the night before, a cottage that used to be the home of an old man. She watched him, as he saw how his self on the screen killed the old man and she watched him as his face slowly turned towards her, his face a mask of pain.

"I was about to tell you…"

"Tell me what? That you killed a man?!" she spat. "I _trusted_ you! I believed you'd changed!" She wanted to believe it and deep down she knew it to be true but the evidence said otherwise and it confused her.

"Emma! I have! This wasn't me, I swear to you, this was not my doing!"

"Seriously Hook? You're trying to tell me that this tape is lying?"

He stepped towards her but she threw her hands up, a spark of magic flying towards Hook who could only duck.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she whispered, scared of herself, scared of what he might tell her.

"Emma, love! I wouldn't lie to you. Look at me, you know I'm not lying. I did not do this. Gold did." He could see how her brain tried to process everything, how she wanted to believe him but couldn't and he could see how hurt she was. "Please Emma, let me tell you what really happened, please."

"You get one chance," she whispered. There was hardly any fight in her left. She felt betrayed, hurt. But she hadn't given Lily a second chance and regretted it her entire life. Maybe he deserved the chance to explain things.

Hook nodded. "I went to Gold to get my hand back so I could hold you with both my hands on our date. He warned me that magic always came with a price and I soon realised that the hand was cursed. I… I felt as if it was bringing back my old self, the ruthless pirate. I hit that thief when he tried to break into the library, that's when I realised that Gold had been right. The hand was cursed. So I went back and told him to take it back. He agreed to a deal. I would help him if he gave me the hook back."

"So you went and killed someone for him?" Emma's voice was empty, colourless and it hurt him more than anything else.

"No. He took me to this cottage. He'd retrieved an item that used to belong to the old man and he was gloating that he could finally use it. It was a magic hat that sucked the poor man in. I didn't want to be part of it but he made me and I lost my leverage on him. He tampered with the tape and…the rest you saw yourself."

"Emma, the hat. I think he wants to use it on you. I tried to make another deal with him so he would leave you alone but refused to do his dirty work. That's why you found the tape."

"I didn't find it. My magic went haywire after Gold was here to tell me he wouldn't help me and it just appeared on screen… Why didn't you tell me?"

"You believe me, then?"

"I don't know. I want to."

It was still dark inside so Hook could only see her outlines but she looked slightly more relaxed so he dared to take a step closer. "I thought…I used to think that I could never go back to being…me. I lived for revenge, and darkness was so much part of me that I had almost forgotten who I used to be. And then you came into my life and you changed everything. I don't want to be that man I was anymore. The only reason I went to Gold was to be whole for you." He could see her shaking her head and he heard a small sob.

"Do you believe me, Emma?" he asked, taking another step closer.

"Why did you not tell me? Didn't you learn your lesson when Zelena cursed you?"

"I did it to protect you."

Another sob escaped her lips mixed with a broken chuckle. "Killian, I have protected myself my entire life without you. I told you I trusted you but how can I keep trusting you if you won't talk to me?"

It was his turn to chuckle. "Swan… I have always been open about my feelings…"

"This isn't about your feelings, Hook," she interrupted him. "This is about us. If we want this thing between us to work, you need to tell me things like this. I know I'm not the most open person but this is exactly why!" As she spoke, she realised that even though she was hurt and disappointed, she never truly believed that Hook had gone back to his dark self. She'd seen him in the past few weeks and she'd seen him over the last year, how far he'd come, how much he'd changed. For her. She knew deep down that what she'd seen was something else, she knew that in her heart because her heart knew him. He was standing right in front of her now and even though she was still angry she wanted to wrap her arms around him. Very slowly, she reached out to him, taking his hand into hers and he stepped yet a little closer.

"This is far from over," she whispered. "But I believe you. I know you didn't do this and I will make sure that Gold pays for this. I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions but I have never been allowed to be happy for long and I'm scared of what this might lead to. This was a way out but I won't take it. I'm done running, I'm done hiding. From today on, I will trust you completely but you also need to trust me."

Hook nodded as he pressed his forehead to hers. "I will. I will tell you everything but you need to do the same. Tell me when your magic worries you but don't go to Gold again. We can work this out together." It was her turn to nod. "No more deals with Gold and no more secrets," she said.

"No more deals with Gold and no more secrets," he agreed and finally closed the distance between them, pressing his lips against hers. She felt her stomach flip and there was a different feeling there as well. She could feel her magic but it was so different to every other time. It was calm and controlled, she felt its centre, she felt how it flowed through her veins and she realised that maybe the answer to everything was the dashing pirate kissing her.

_No more secrets…_she thought and pulled away. "And Killian…you don't need both hands to be whole. You're whole the way you are," she whispered before closing the distance once more, kissing him with passion.


	3. My Anchor, My Rock

_**A/N: **I just drabbled... and this is actually the first thing that I've written in ages that I kinda like. (Which reminds me. KT, thanks for your continuous lovely reviews, I really appreciate it!)_

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><p>It's the way he looks at her that sets her heart aflame.<p>

It's the way her eyes linger on his for just a second longer that makes his pulse race. It's the way their touches trace lines of fire over their skin and it's the way their life just gets completely turned around.

Sometimes she wakes up in the morning and the sun falls through the curtains and on his hair making it shine like beautiful iron and she runs her hand through it as he starts waking up, humming happily and she can hardly believe her luck.  
>Sometimes he wakes up because the golden shine of her hair in the sunlight tickles at his eyelids and wakes him up on lazy Sunday mornings and he needs to pinch himself because she is his and how is that not a dream?<p>

They have grown used to each other but every single day, every minute is still an adventure: new to both of them and they cherish it.  
>They don't take their happiness for granted but they do take it with pleasure. Sometimes they run through the woods together, chasing new threats to the little town. Sometimes they watch Netflix for hours, lying in each others arms. Sometimes they fight, sometimes they play happy family with Henry and sometimes they don't see each other for days because there's too many things going on. Sometimes they lie in bed together, tracing patterns over the other's skin. Sometimes they chase their own releases, screaming each others names, not caring if anyone can hear.<p>

It's the little things that make their life together happy. When he offers to chop the onions so she won't cry her eyes out only for him to cry more than she ever does. When she offers to let him chose the evening's TV entertainment even though he always picks the worst films but never admits it. When they crave ice cream and just need to look at each other to know. When they're walking down the streets and their hands find each other without them realising it and they just fit together perfectly. When her magic starts acting up and one look from him is enough to calm her down. When he starts to doubt that he's good enough and one kiss is all it takes to make him realise that she thinks he's good enough.

Their kisses are different every time. They're not done exploring and even though they're so familiar with each other by now, there's still so much to learn. Their bodies are riddles as much as their souls but they have time. They have all the time in the world because they found each other and they're not ever going to let go.

She's dreamed of having something, someone, like this for a long time and thought she wasn't worthy.  
>He thought he'd lost his chance forever and didn't ever dare to dream about finding someone like this ever again.<br>They're the perfect match. A lost girl and a lost boy who found a home in each other.

When she looks at him he feels like he's pulled out of the water that was drowning him. She's his anchor and north star.  
>When he looks at her her world suddenly grows still and she's not afraid any more. He's her rock and her entire world and it's time he knew.<p>

"I love you, Killian Jones," she whispers in his ear one morning when he's still half asleep and intimacy is suddenly only half as scary as it used to be.


	4. I promise to be there

_I felt the need to add a little bit to that scene... (__there are probably already tons of other fics out there but heyho...__) _

_Rated T I think... (I'm rubbish at ratings)_

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><p>He watches as Gold freezes Emma and Mary Margaret and in that moment, he realises that Emma will have to watch him die. She will witness his heart getting crushed in front of her the way he once saw Milah's getting crushed in front of him by the very same man and if his heart were still in his chest, this would be the moment for it to break into a million pieces.<p>

He can see her fighting for control over her body, trying to get through Gold's magic and she is strong, so strong. He sees her move slightly but it's not enough and then his chest constricts as the Dark One starts crushing his heart. A scream rips through the clock tower, her scream, and he cannot help but look towards her again, pain written all over his face, mirroring hers and he wants nothing more but to tell her he loves her, tell her he's sorry but he sinks to his knees, not managing more than screams of agony. He knows it's over and he knows she knows it's over, too. But she has managed to scream and she's determined to free herself completely from Gold's spell before it's too late. Only seconds, milliseconds really, pass but they feel like hours. She takes up all her strength, focuses on her magic that starts to coil in the pit of her stomach, focuses on the feelings she has for that stupid pirate, focuses on all the things she wishes they had time for and it's enough; she's free.

She looks up again, ready to use her magic on Rumple, ready to tackle him if need be but at the very same time, Belle suddenly appears at the top of the stairs, dagger in hand, commanding the Dark One to let go of the heart. Emma watches Gold's wife, she watches as he drops the heart, she watches Killian on his knees, not daring to believe that he's still alive and they both listen to Belle, listen to her command the Dark One to take them to the town line and as soon as they're gone, Emma sprints up the stairs, taking two steps at a time and drops down on her knees in front of Killian.

He's grabbing for his heart but she is faster, cradling it in her hands, shuffling forward, tears in her eyes.

"You promised!" she half shouts, half sobs, pushing him with her free hand, making him rock backwards. He doesn't know what to say. He's alive, she's here, his heart is save and she is right. He promised her and he almost did not keep his promise.

He takes her hand – the one that's holding his heart – into his, looking into her teary emerald eyes and with all the sincerity he can muster, whispers a soft "I am sorry, love."

It's not until a little later that she restores his heart. She cradles it into her chest the whole way back to Granny's, making sure it's safe, making sure it's undamaged. It glows bright red in her hands and there is still the occasional tear falling down her cheek. He follows her wordlessly, waiting for the moment they are alone, waiting for the moment she places the heart back in his chest.

They're standing in the corridor at Granny's and he looks at her, feeling nothing but love. It's still so dull but it's there, always there.

"What the hell were you thinking?" she demands, looking at him, looking at the heart and it almost makes him chuckle.

"Love, I will explain it all to you but even though my heart is yours, I would still prefer to have it back in my chest again."

She laughs nervously, readying herself for the task at hand. She has never done this before but it can't be that hard. He's about to say something, it sounds something like "Be gentle," but she's already slamming his heart back into its place and she can almost feel how it connects with him again. "Sorry," she mumbles when she sees the pained look on his face. She watches as his life returns to him and wonders how she could have missed it before. It's like a light has been turned on again behind his eyes, making them shine crystal clear and full of love. He feels again. He feels again so strongly, so desperately that it knocks the breath out of him and it's like his love for the wonderful woman in front of him has magnified a thousand times and before she knows what's happening, his lips crush against hers in a heated frenzy, a feral growl escaping his throat. His hand finds its way into her locks, his hooked arm around her waist and she's pressed flush against the wall. She moans against his lips and she opens her mouth to him, savouring the taste of him, savouring his body pressed to hers and hopes it never ends.

"I told you I was a survivor," he croons once their lips part, his voice husky from the kiss and she puts her forehead to his, noses touching slightly.

"You promised," she echoes her words from before, less accusingly but still laced with the fear of almost having lost him. "You nearly died."

"I'm sorry," he whispers again. "I intend to keep my promises from now on."

She nods and places a hand above the spot where his heart is, making sure that it's really there and he can see a faint smile appear on her face as she feels the steady heartbeat, matching hers to a beat and then her fingers grab the materials of his shirt, pulling him down again, her hips rocking into him as the need to feel him grows in her belly. He growls again, lust and love overwhelming his senses and it takes a lot of control to steer her towards his room.


End file.
